Aussenkehr

{{Infobox settlement

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|subdivision_type1 = Region

|subdivision_name1 = ǁKaras Region

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|subdivision_name2 = Karasburg Constituency

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File:Norotshama.jpg

Aussenkehr ({{langx|de|Outer bend}}, referring to the flow of the Orange at this location) is a farm and a settlement on the banks of the Orange River in the south of Namibia right on the border with South Africa. Aussenkehr falls within the Karasburg Constituency of the ǁKaras Region and is situated {{convert|24|km}} downstream (northwest) of Noordoewer.{{cite web

|url=http://www.southernnamibia.com/aussenkehr.htm

|title=Welcome to Aussenkehr

|publisher=southernnamibia.com

|accessdate=26 October 2011

|url-status=dead

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806173227/http://www.southernnamibia.com/aussenkehr.htm

|archivedate=6 August 2011

}} Aussenkehr was established as a farm in 1910 when an Imperial German investment corporation acquired the land and started several irrigation projects.Ulrike Lindner (2011): Koloniale Begegnungen: Deutschland und Grossbritannien als Imperialmächte in Afrika 1880-1914. [Colonial Encounters: Germany and Great Britain as Imperial Powers in Africa, 1880–1914] Campus, {{ISBN|978-3-593-39485-5}} Over time, Aussenkehr has evolved into a large settlement accommodating workers employed nearby. Estimations of how many people live here vary between 7,000 and 30,000.{{cite news

|title=Lack of housing angers Aussenkehr residents

|url=http://www.namibian.com.na/news-articles/national/full-story/archive/2011/october/article/lack-of-housing-angers-aussenkehr-residents/

|last=Cloete

|first=Luqman

|date=25 October 2011

|newspaper=The Namibian

|url-status=dead

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606180922/http://www.namibian.com.na/news-articles/national/full-story/archive/2011/october/article/lack-of-housing-angers-aussenkehr-residents/

|archivedate=2012-06-06

}}{{cite news

|title=Aussenkehr eis antwoord oor N$100 miljoen

|trans-title=Aussenkehr requests answer on 100 million N$

|language=Afrikaans

|url=http://www.republikein.com.na/politiek-en-nasionale/algemeen/aussenkehr-eis-antwoord-oor-n-dollar-100-miljoen.136544.php

|last=Rademeyer

|first=Ronelle

|date=24 October 2011

|newspaper=Die Republikein}}

The settlement features a government clinic and a primary school. Plans are in place to develop Aussenkehr into a town.{{cite news

|title=Karas profile

|last=Sasman

|first=Catherine

|newspaper=New Era

|date=10 November 2010

|url=http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=36146}} 6,000 erven have been surveyed and water and sewerage systems have been built, but the construction of houses on the delineated plots has not yet started. Many residents have no access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Instead, they use the river both for water supply and as toilet. Living conditions in the settlement have been described as "appalling".{{cite news

|title=Aussenkehr residents use river for drinking water and as toilet

|url=http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=76926&no_cache=1

|last=Cloete

|first=Luqman

|date=19 January 2011

|newspaper=The Namibian}}

Serbian immigrant Dušan Vasiljević bought the farm Aussenkehr in 1988 to develop grape production, after a previous, similar project had failed. The area receives less than {{convert|50|mm|in}} average annual rainfall, but the farm includes {{convert|15|km|mi}} of riverfront and has a government-approved quota to draw water for irrigation from the Orange River.{{cite web

|url=http://www.saiia.org.za/archive-eafrica/greening-the-namibian-desert-an-african-success-story.html

|title=Greening the Namibian Desert: An African Success Story

|last=Hoffmann

|first=Jürgen

|publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs

|accessdate=26 October 2011

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420021025/http://www.saiia.org.za/archive-eafrica/greening-the-namibian-desert-an-african-success-story.html

|archive-date=20 April 2012

|url-status=dead

}} The Norotshama River Resort is located on the farm as a tourism venture.{{cite web|title=Introduction To Norotshama River Resort |url=http://www.norotshamaresort.com/index.php?p=1 |publisher=Norotshama River Resort |accessdate=29 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022022940/http://www.norotshamaresort.com/index.php?p=1 |archivedate=22 October 2011 }}

The extreme climatic conditions—summer temperatures can reach {{convert|50|C}} in the river valley—provide the area with an advantage over other grape producers, as Aussenkehr's table grapes can be harvested three to five weeks earlier than elsewhere. The extremely dry conditions also mean that the farmers need fewer pesticides.{{cite news | title=Aussenkehr grapes ready for export in a week | last=Ya Ngulu | first=Freeman | newspaper=Namibia Economist | date=4 December 2023 | url=https://economist.com.na/84697/agriculture/aussenkehr-grapes-ready-for-export-in-a-week/}}

The farms produced {{convert|1000|t|ST}} of grapes in 1991 on {{convert|150|ha|acre}} of irrigated land. In 2003, production increased to {{convert|12,000|t|ST}}. {{As of|2010|alt=Currently}} there are {{convert|2000|ha|acre}} under irrigation for the purpose of grape production.